Cover Letter Format Canada

When to send a cover letter

Always include one when the posting asks for it. Always include one for government, education, and non-profit roles. For tech and start-ups, it's optional — but a good letter still helps.

Structure

1. Opening: the role, where you saw it, and one sentence on why this company.
2. Body 1: your most relevant experience, tied directly to a requirement.
3. Body 2: a second proof point — a project, a result, or a transferable skill.
4. Close: what you'd love to do in the role, plus a polite call to interview.

Tone and length

Half a page. Professional but human. No "Dear Sir/Madam". No restating your resume. No paragraphs about how passionate you are — show it through specifics.

A fill-in template

Dear [Hiring Manager Name],

I'm applying for the [Role] role at [Company]. [One specific reason this company — a product, a recent launch, a value.]

In my current role at [Company], I [verb + result + metric]. This directly maps to your need for [requirement from posting].

Earlier, I [second proof point — a project, a turnaround, an award]. I'd love to bring the same approach to [specific thing from the posting].

I'd welcome a short conversation about how I can contribute to [team or initiative].

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Mistakes to avoid

• Recycling the same letter — always edit the opening line and the proof points.
• Listing every job you've ever had.
• Generic openings ("I am writing to apply…").

Keep going: Canadian resume format · tailor your resume.